Mamoru Hosoda praises new immersive live project based on Belle

A new immersive entertainment project, ‘Animmersive Live: Belle – PROJECT LAYRA –’, is set to debut at MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives in Tokyo. Based on Mamoru Hosoda’s 2021 animated film ‘Belle’, the project blends animation, live performance, and spatial design to create an experience where audiences feel immersed in the film’s virtual world, <U>.

The production features a spin-off story set five years after the original film. Five different artists—miwa, Natsumi Kon, Konomi Suzuki, Maria Miki, and ASCA—will rotate roles to portray the virtual diva LAYRA and her real-world counterpart, Kotomi. The performance utilizes digital technology, including smartphones and large-scale visual effects, to blur the lines between reality and the virtual space.

During a recent dress rehearsal, director Mamoru Hosoda praised the production as a “mysterious experience unlike anything before,” noting that it transcends traditional musical or theatrical boundaries. The project also involves various creators, including music producer TeddyLoid and VTuber AZKi, to expand the film’s musical and visual universe.